therapeutic hold
A brief physical intervention used as a last resort to ensure safety when a child or adolescent poses imminent danger to self or others.
Full Definition
A therapeutic hold is a time-limited physical restraint technique employed by trained staff in psychiatric treatment settings when a child or adolescent presents immediate risk of harm to themselves or others and less restrictive interventions have failed or are not feasible. These interventions must follow strict protocols regarding duration, positioning, monitoring, and documentation. Therapeutic holds should only be used when necessary to prevent injury, must be discontinued as soon as the immediate danger passes, and require immediate debriefing with the youth and family. The use of restraints is heavily regulated and requires careful documentation of the circumstances, alternatives considered, and outcomes.
Usage
Usage note: Always document as last resort intervention with detailed justification and follow-up procedures.
In Context
- "A therapeutic hold was implemented for 3 minutes when the patient attempted to strike another resident during group therapy." — incident report
- "Staff training on therapeutic holds emphasizes prevention strategies and proper body mechanics to ensure safety." — training manual